Since 2005, four insurance providers in southern Wisconsin have offeredrebates to policyholders who subscribe to a local community supportedagriculture (CSA) operation. Rebate program participants rely on the MadisonArea Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC) - an organizationthat supports CSA farms and educates consumers about local food systems - toconnect the insurance companies with CSA growers and consumers and to managevarious aspects of the CSA rebate program, including vetting participatingfarms. The rebate makes fresh, seasonal, locally and organically grownfruits and vegetables more accessible to consumers by reducing the cost of aCSA share by up to 40%. As a result, CSA members report increasedconsumption of fruits and vegetables, one of the main goals of the program.With marketing overseen by MACSAC and the insurance companies, the rebateprogram has led to a reduction in the amount of time growers spend onadvertising their operations and recruiting CSA members and has contributedto increased member retention from year to year. Additionally, both thenumber of MACSAC member farms and the total number of shares offered bythese farms have increased substantially since the rebate program'sinception. These trends reduce some of the risk growers face and allow themto expand production in order to serve a larger consumer base. Theseoutcomes associated with the MACSAC organization and the insurance rebateprogram indicate the success of the program, the importance of MACSAC as anorganizing body, and the potential for implementing the program amongnational providers and in other locations where community supportedagriculture is prevalent.

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